Madagascar’s Laura Rasoanaivo and Hajanirina Zo Claim Bronze at African Judo Championships

By Daniel Richardson, Editor-in-Chief

NAIROBI, Kenya — April 27, 2026

Madagascar’s judo team left Nairobi with two bronze medals after a weekend of high-stakes competition at the 2026 African Senior Championships, salvaging the island nation’s campaign through the performances of Laura Rasoanaivo and Hajanirina Zo. The two athletes from Club Saint-Michel fell just short of the final but secured Madagascar’s first podium finishes at this year’s continental tournament.

The Road to Bronze

Rasoanaivo, the reigning African champion in the -70 kg category, entered the tournament as the top seed but saw her title defense end in the semifinals. After a first-round bye, the 22-year-old defeated Kenya’s Mary Njery—a fifth-place finisher at the 2025 African Championships—in the quarterfinals. Her campaign stalled in the next round, however, as Angola’s Lucungi Diassonema, the 2023 silver medalist, claimed a decisive victory to advance to the final. Diassonema went on to win gold, while Rasoanaivo settled for bronze alongside her opponent in the repechage.

Zo, competing in the -78 kg division, mirrored Rasoanaivo’s path. Exempt from the opening round, she overpowered Burundi’s Ange Ciella Niragira—a 2025 Port-Louis Open gold medalist—in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Zo faced Marie Branser of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the reigning African champion and recent gold medalist at the 2026 Austrian Grand Prix. Branser’s experience proved decisive, and Zo’s bid for a second consecutive final ended in defeat. She secured bronze in the repechage, ensuring Madagascar’s second medal of the tournament.

Key Moments and Turning Points

• Rasoanaivo’s Quarterfinal Win: A hard-fought victory over Njery, marked by a late ippon in the final minute, set up her semifinal clash with Diassonema. The match was a rematch of the 2025 African Championships final, where Rasoanaivo had claimed gold.
• Zo’s Tactical Shift: After a dominant quarterfinal performance, Zo adjusted her grip strategy in the semifinal but struggled to counter Branser’s uchi-mata throws, which had been her signature technique throughout the tournament.
• Team Depth Tested: Madagascar’s other judoka, Lova Mahaisoa Randrianasolo (-81 kg), fell in the repechage to Cameroon’s Ngae Yohana Jessie, a 2025 Abidjan Open champion. His exit left Rasoanaivo and Zo as the nation’s sole medalists.

By the Numbers

Rasoanaivo’s bronze marks her fourth consecutive podium finish at the African Championships, following gold in 2025, silver in 2024, and bronze in 2023. For Zo, the medal is her first at the senior level, capping a breakthrough season that included gold at the 2026 Dakar Open in March.

What’s Next for Madagascar’s Judo Stars

With the African Championships concluded, both athletes will shift their focus to the 2026 World Judo Championships, scheduled for September in Budapest. Rasoanaivo, who finished seventh at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, will aim to improve her world ranking ahead of the 2028 Olympic qualification cycle. Zo, meanwhile, will look to build on her momentum with a strong performance at the upcoming Paris Grand Slam in October.

The Madagascar Judo Federation has not yet released official statements regarding the team’s performance, but local media reports suggest a review of training regimens ahead of the World Championships. Club Saint-Michel, the Antananarivo-based academy that produced both medalists, is expected to host a press conference later this week.

Why This Matters

Madagascar’s judo program has been on the rise since Rasoanaivo’s breakthrough at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she became the first Malagasy judoka to reach the quarterfinals in an Olympic tournament. The nation’s two bronze medals in Nairobi—while falling short of the gold and silver targets—signal continued progress in a sport dominated by powerhouses like Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia.

For Zo, the bronze medal is a career-defining achievement. At 24, she has emerged as a contender in the -78 kg category, a division where African athletes have historically struggled to break through on the global stage. Her performance in Nairobi, coupled with her gold at the Dakar Open, positions her as a potential wildcard for the 2028 Olympics if she can maintain her upward trajectory.

How to Follow Madagascar’s Judo Team

Fans can track Rasoanaivo and Zo’s progress through the following official channels:

• Laura Rasoanaivo’s IJF Profile (updates on rankings, results, and upcoming competitions)
• Club Saint-Michel’s Facebook Page (local news and training updates)
• International Judo Federation Event Calendar (schedule for Grand Slams, Grand Prix, and World Championships)

Key Takeaways

• Madagascar secured two bronze medals at the 2026 African Judo Championships, with Laura Rasoanaivo (-70 kg) and Hajanirina Zo (-78 kg) both finishing third.
• Rasoanaivo, the reigning African champion, was defeated in the semifinals by Angola’s Lucungi Diassonema, who went on to win gold.
• Zo’s bronze is her first senior-level medal, following a gold at the 2026 Dakar Open.
• The results mark Madagascar’s best performance at the African Championships since 2023, when Rasoanaivo won silver.
• Both athletes will next compete at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Budapest, with Olympic qualification for Paris 2028 on the horizon.

The 2026 African Judo Championships concluded on April 26 in Nairobi, with Egypt topping the medal table (5 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze). Madagascar finished 10th tied with Morocco, and Senegal.

What do you think of Madagascar’s performance in Nairobi? Should the team prioritize depth or focus on its medalists for the next Olympic cycle? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter.